Did the Japanese word for "thank you" come from Portuguese?
The Japanese word for "thank you" is "arigatou" (ありがとう). It is often suggested that this word derives from the Portuguese word "obrigado", both of which mean "Thank you." However, evidence indicates that "arigatou" has a purely Japanese origin, so these two words are false cognates.
"Arigato" is an "u"-sound change of "arigataku". In turn, "arigataku" is the adverbial form of an adjective "arigatai", from older "arigatashi", itself a compound of "ari" + "kashi".
"Ari" is a conjugation of the verb "aru" meaning "to be", and "kashi" is an adjective meaning "difficult". So, "arigatashi" literally means "difficult to exist", hence "rare" and thus "precious", with usage shifting to indicate gratitude for receiving an outstanding kindness. The phrase to express such gratitude is "arigatou gozaimasu", or "arigatou" for short.
The Portuguese arrived in Japan in the 16th century, and there was some cultural exchange between the two countries. However, there is no evidence that the Portuguese word "obrigado" had any influence on the Japanese word "arigatou". The two words are simply coincidental in form.
And Death Shall Have No Dominion
And Death Shall Have No Dominion
What is cut50?
#cut50 is a national, bipartisan effort to reduce the prison population while making our communities safer. We find common ground with unlikely allies, draft effective legislation, and mobilize people harmed by the existing system.
Gradually Learn as You Let Go
My master used to tell a story about letting go. It's called the Wedding Party.
Once upon a time, a wedding party boarded a boat to journey downstream to the site for the ceremony. It was to be an overnight trip.
The next morning when everyone woke, they saw the same banks that they thought they had left the previous night. They turned to the boatman who humbly begged their forgiveness for having forgotten to untie the boat from the dock. Having remained tied to the dock, the boat had simply bobbed around throughout the night but made no progress.
Analogously, if we remain attached to material things, such as wealth, grudges, or envy, we will not make any spiritual progress at all.
This entry was inspired by an article I came across by
Once upon a time, a wedding party boarded a boat to journey downstream to the site for the ceremony. It was to be an overnight trip.
The next morning when everyone woke, they saw the same banks that they thought they had left the previous night. They turned to the boatman who humbly begged their forgiveness for having forgotten to untie the boat from the dock. Having remained tied to the dock, the boat had simply bobbed around throughout the night but made no progress.
Analogously, if we remain attached to material things, such as wealth, grudges, or envy, we will not make any spiritual progress at all.
This entry was inspired by an article I came across by
1. You can have a heartbreaking story from the past, without letting it rule your present.
2. A big part of letting go is simply realizing there’s nothing to hold on to in the first place.
3. The subtle pain you continue to feel can be healed through compassion for those suffering alongside you.
4. There is always, always, always something to be thankful for in the present.
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